“This is the fifth similar incident involving women in the same neighborhood,” Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said of the brazen intrusions.

The most recent one occurred 10:15 p.m. Friday at a house in the 7000 block of Clinton Road in the Stonehurst Hills section.

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“This woman grabbed a baseball bat beside her bed and chased him out the door,” Chitwood said. “It’s a shame she didn’t catch him and beat him to death.”

According to Chitwood, all the victims have been women but occurred at different times of the day.

“We believe he’s stalking these women and knows they are home alone,” Chitwood said. “For some reason all the incidents have been concentrated in that particular area. We are culling all our files looking for men recently released from prison or who have committed similar crimes. We are also checking with neighboring communities to see if there are any other break-ins involving women home alone. We sent out a county-wide alert.”

The other incidents in Upper Darby were reported 3:06 a.m. April 16 on the 7200 block of Guilford Road; 6:02 a.m. May 1 on the 7000 block of Atlantic Avenue; 3:09 a.m. June 17 on the 7100 block of Seaford Road; and 4:23 a.m. June 20 on the 200 block of Sheffield Road.

“The victims range in age from 16 to 32 years old,” Chitwood said. “They were all asleep either in bed or on the couch. Three of the incidents involved (the alleged victims) being awakened and seeing a man standing over them. On Seaford Road, he touched the woman, rubbing her groin area. He wore a surgical mask to cover his face and fled out the back door when the victim screamed.

“The one on Friday night involved a 52-year-old woman, but we believe he was after the woman’s 26-year-old daughter who was not home.”

Most of the incidents occurred in the early morning hours.

“This latest one involved a man holding a cell phone with a flashlight,” Chitwood said. “She had her air conditioner on. The victim was awakened when someone opened her bedroom door and shined a light in the victim’s face. She screamed and grabbed a baseball bat next to her bed and went after him. He ran downstairs and out the front door. She wasn’t aware there were other incidents in her neighborhood. Video surveillance from a neighbor’s house shows the man walking to the front of the house and exiting within four minutes.”

Chitwood pointed out that there have been no signs of forced entry in any of the incidents.

“I keep emphasizing to lock your doors, shut your windows,” Chitwood said. “Our concern is the actions of this guy will escalate and someone will get hurt. Take precautions. Lock your door.”

Descriptions given by victims have been vague, but the woman living on Guilford recalled seeing the same man on the street earlier in the day. She reportedly told police he asked for her phone number and if she knew where to buy weed.

“She did not give him her number and walked away,” Chitwood said.

The intruder was described as a black male, 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, in his early 20s, with a mustache and goatee, a gap between his front teeth and slim build.

Anyone with information should call Upper Darby police at 610-734-7677.